FIRE SAFETY
Following discussions with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 from the 1st February 2011 the storage of personal belongings in the Common Areas will not be permitted. Designated areas under the Regulations are: Stairwells: Landings leading to stairs; Cleaners / Service cupboards below stairs.
These areas are not to be used for storage of: personal belongings such as, Holiday bags, Christmas decorations, Furniture and the like. Landing and stairwells are to be kept clear at all times, Pedal Cycles, Motor Cycles, Push Chairs and Prams are not to be stored or secured to the balustrades on the landings. Door mats, planters and other decretive features that are considered as a trip hazard and not provides by the management company are to be removed from the common areas.
The reason for these measures is to maintain a free, clear unimpeded access and egress from all apartments in the case of an emergency. Landing and stair widths are designated under regulations to allow emergency services free access for Fire and Ambulance crews to get quickly to incidents and for residents to evacuate the building. Any obstruction of these provisions contravenes the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
FIRE SAFETY
NOTICE
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Suitability of escape routes You should ensure that your escape routes are: 1) suitable; 2) easily, safely and immediately usable at all times; 3) adequate for the number of people likely to use them; 4) usable without passing through doors requiring a key or code to unlock; 5) free from any obstructions, slip or trip hazards; 6) well lit by normal or emergency escape lighting; and 7) Available for access by the emergency services. Responsibility for complying with the Order1 rests with the ‘responsible person’. In a workplace, this is the employer and any other person who may have control of any part of the premises, e.g. the manager or owner. In all other premises the person or people in control of the premises will be responsible. If there is more than one responsible person in any type of premises (e.g. a multi-occupied complex), all must take all reasonable steps to co-operate and co-ordinate with each other.
Duty of Care in the event of an incident, Management Company, Person Breaching the Regulations and the Owner or the Property committing the Breach.
Persons breaching the Regulations will be advised and asked to remove the obstruction, failure to remove following one month from notification; the obstruction will be removed by the Management Company and placed in storage, if the item is not collected within three months the item will be sold at public auction and the monies put into the Companies Maintenance Budget.
We hope you will understand and cooperate as the requirements can be enforced by the Fire Authorities on Inspection.
